Gauge for book stamping and printing machines



July 5, 1938. J. J. DONATO GAUGE FOR BOOK STAMPING AND PRINTING MACHINESV Filed April 1. 1957 V so J. J. DoNATo 2,123,098 GAUGE FOR BOOK STAMPING AND PRTNTNGl MACHINES July 5, 1938.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1957 Hmmm 1 Patented July 5, 1938 "UNITED STATES l GAUGE FOR BOOK STAMIING ANDy PRINT- ING MACHINES Joseph J. Donato,` Berkeley, Calif.

Application April 1, 1937, Serial No. 134,415

3 Claims.

This invention 4relates to apparatus for printing or stamping titles or other lettering upon the backs of books and the object of the invention is to provide a means for holding book covers firmly 5 during the printing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whereby a second printing or stamping may be made on the book cover when desired which will be properly located with respect to the first printing or stamping.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gauge for centering and holding book covers of diiierent sizes during the printing or stamping operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bed plate and gauge to be used with a book stamping or printing machine of the well known type wherein the chase and pallettes are operated and carried by a plunger.

I accomplish the above and other objects of the invention by means of the construction shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is atop plan of the bed plate and gauge embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Figure l Figure 3 is a bottom plan of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan of the gauge and the end of the bed plate on which it is mounted;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure '7 is a side elevation of my improved gauge.

On the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts on all the views thereof, I indicates the bed plate of frame like structure which is adapted to be secured to the press base of a stamping or printing machine by means of the bar 2 and screw 3. 'Ihe bed plate has a transverse dovetailed groove I to receive the correspondingly shaped portion of a backbone 4a or stiff support for the flexible portion of a book cover on which the printing or stamping is to be made. It is to be understood that it is desirable to have a number of different sized such backbones so that the apparatus may be used with book covers of different sizes.

Secured to the longitudinal front edge of the bed plate I are graduated strips 5 and 6, which strips extend slightly above the bed plate so that the stiiiened portions of the book cover may abut thereagainst, the graduations thus serving to indicate when the cover is properly-positioned with the flexible or unstiffened portion resting on the backbone.

In order toclamp the book cover firmly during the printing or stamping operation, I have provided a sliding bar 'I which operates in guides or ways 8 or 9 of the bed plate. I have shown the clamping bar as located on the left hand side of the bed plate, but it is apparent that it might be located on the right hand side or two such bars 10 might be provided, one for each side of the bed plate if desired.

The clamping bar is provided with a fine adjustment wheel I0 having a rubber friction roll I I whereby the clamping bar may be moved along 15 the bed plate to the desired position. It is to be noted that suitable clearance I2 is provided so that sticking or wedging of the wheel is prevented.

A cam lock I3 holds the clamping bar in its adjusted position. 20

Mounted to slide in the guide way I4 of the clamping bar are the book back holding elements I5 comprising a headed member and a hold down bar I6 which latter bear against the stiifened portions of the book back and hold it iirmly dur- 25 ing the printing operation.

In operation, the bed plate I is secured to the press base of the printing or stamping machine by means of the bar 2 and the screw 3 and a suitable backbone located thereon. The book 30 cover is positioned on the bed plate with the ilexible portion resting on the backbone. By means of the graduations, it is easily determined when the book cover is properly centered. The clamping element 'I is then moved through the 3,-, medium of the adjustment wheel until the hold down elements are over the edge of the book cover, whereupon they may be slid, if necessary, in the guide ways until they are in a position to hold the cover rrnly during the printing or 40 stamping operation.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an apparatus wherein books may be easily and expeditiously centered and held during the printing or stamping thereof and that any number of 45 books may be stamped or printed, one after the other, with the same lettering without any adjustment of parts, my invention insuring that the lettering will always be accurately centered.

With my invention, it is also possible to make 5o a second printing on a book cover which will vbe properly positioned with respect to the lirst printing thereby greatly facilitating additional printing on book covers when desired.

While I do not desire to be limited thereto, I 55 have designed my invention particularly for use with printing machines in which a chase carries pallettes having a double adjustment means for centering the type.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure vby Letters Patent, iszl. For use with a book stamping or printing machine, a rectangular frame having graduations along one of its longer edges, means for securing said frame to a book stamping or printing machine, a book centering means located transversely of said frame, a guide Way on said frame ex tending parallel to said graduations, 'an elongated clamping element operable in said guide Way, means for adjusting said clamping element along said guide way, hold down elements carried by said clamping element and means whereby said hold down elements may be adjusted longitudinally on said clamping element.

2. For use with a book stamping or printing machine, a gauge comprising a frame having graduations along one edge, a guide way on said frame extending parallel to said graduations, a clamping element operable in said guide way, and hold down elements carried by said clamping element, said hold down elements being slidably mounted on said clamping element.

3. For use with a book stamping or printing machine, a gauge comprising a book back supporting member, means on said book back supporting member for supporting and centering the flexible portion of a book back, a clamping bar parallel to said supporting and centering member for holding the stiffened portions of the book back, said clamping bar being adjustable toward and away from said supporting and centering means, said clamping bar being provided with a longitudinally extending guide way, and a book back hold down element operating in said guide Way.

JOSEPH J. DONATO. 

